There’s Always a Next Podcast (or is there?). December 21, 2006

Any sports team can tell you that you are only as good as your last game. Some followers are simple fair weather fans only and will ditch or even turn into opposition when things don’t go the right way. Winning every game though is not the point of a sports season, winning enough to be in the finals and winning the last game is the most important.

In the world of podcasting, there is no ‘last game.’ The fans don’t have a final to look forward to, so they are a little less disconcerted when a ‘game’ or podcast doesn’t go as well as the last one. That’s why I tell people, “there’s always a next podcast.” You always have a chance to redeem yourself next time. Don’t give up even if you’ve had a string on sub-par podcasts, your listeners are not going to throw things at their computer screen and shut you off. The majority of ‘fans’ will watch the next game to see what happens (even if they’re unimpressed).

The “or is there?” tag at the end of the post title comes from a story where a podcaster lost literally all of her listeners in one podcast. Internal to a company, she was podcasting on the state of affairs for human resources and released a podcast that cast a project the company was working on in a negative light. Workers who had been striving to make this project a success became upset and, though she released a retraction in her next podcast… no one heard it. In the week between her faux pas and the retraction, emails circulated around the staff that ended in a boycott of the podcast.

How did she recover? She didn’t. A new writer / spokesperson was assigned to the task with oversight and approval from management now on every podcast produced. My take away from that: freedom of speech doesn’t always mean that people will listen.

About Jeffrey Daniel Frey

Jeff is the Web Services Manager for Enterprise Applications in the Information Technology Department at Rice University. He provides technology solutions for faculty, staff, and students on campus as well as teaches new technology courses. He is involved in the creation of podcasts for businesses and non-profits, and is currently focusing on how new technologies can integrate and benefit universities and businesses alike. Jeff is available to speak or teach workshops on podcasting or other new internet technologies, and can consult with you on your company/non-profit. learn more about Jeff here>>----------- EMAIL JEFF -----------